The U.S. Department of Justice is sponsoring a new community clean-up initiative called Weed and Seed. The structure of the initiative relies on two things: local law enforcement weeds out violent criminals and drug dealers, and private community organizations seeds in prevention, treatment and neighborhood rehabilitation. Now I'm no urban planner or licensed realtor, but this smells a little like a blatant primer for gentrification. I could be wrong [I certainly have been before], but what's the point of chasing out the urban boogey man and cleaning up his victims if that community isn't prime-pickings for eclectic coffee houses.
Hey, I love that the government is putting their money where the problem lives. I'm also an advocate for drug prevention/intervention and not prison rehabilitation. I just hope my instincts are proven wrong here. I'd love to see communities flourish with healthy citizens, but folks are desperate for affordable real estate right now and the thought that the government is cleaning up addicts for their benefit would be… unfortunate.
Keith Josef Adkins is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and social commentator.